The Accreditation Commission evaluates museums for accreditation based on the following program standards and requirements. If you are looking for information about specific museum standards, operational “how-to” information, advice on practices, or museum statistics, please see: Other AAM Resources on Standards.

About Accreditation Standards: Approach, Framework, and Application

The Standards for Accreditation

• Two core questions 
  The questions which guide every accreditation review. More...
  
• The Characteristics of an Accreditable Museum 
  A set of outcomes that reflect high standards of operations; the primary measures used to evaluate every museum. More...
  
• Accreditation Commission Expectations
  Further define selected Characteristics and reflect how current practices in museums relate to the existing requirements.  More...         
  
  The Accreditation Commission has issued Expectations regarding:
• • Institutional Planning
  • Governance
  • Collections Stewardship
  • Institutional Code of Ethics
  • Mission
  • Delegation of Authority 
    
    
• Other AAM Standards (applicable to all accredited museums)
• • Facilities and Risk Management 

Accreditation Commission statements on best practices and other policies

Other Accreditation Program requirements: 
eligibility criteria  
required documents

Other AAM Resources on Standards

Sample Documents